Foldable table



Feb. 9,1926. I 1,572,282

E. P. GRIGNON FOLDABLE TABLE Filed May 28. 1923 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES EPHRAIM 1. GRIGNON, OF AEPLE TON, WISCONSIN.

FOLDABLE TABLE.

Application filed. May 28, 1923. Serial No. 641,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM P. GRIGNON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable Tables, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to foldable tables, and has for one of its objects to provide a table of this character which is especially, although not solely, adapted for carrying in automobiles. p

A further object of the invention is to provide a table having a top composed of a plurality of relatively narrow slats suit ably connected together, whereby the table may be reduced to contracted form, occupying a minimum amount of space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table having a top of the character just described and provided with suitable supporting and bracing members whereby it may be rigidly maintained in its extended position.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a special hinge construction whereby thetable top, legs and supporting members may be readily and pivotally con nected to the end that they may be quickly and easily collapsed. for folding the table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a table of the class described 7 which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and more efficient 1n use than those which have been heretofore proposed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in its open or extended position; r

, Fig. 2 1s a. transverse sectional view, through the top portion of the table, taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view, partly in section, of one corner of the table in extended position, one of the supporting arms be ing partly in collapsed position;

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of por-.

tion of one corner of the table in inverted position, showing the top, a supporting member, a leg and one of the end braces, as well as the hinge construction whereby the parts are pivotally secured tog-ether;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail cross sectional view of the brace member shown in Fig. 4, taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 5 5 of the said figure;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, through a portion of the table top illustrating the manner of connecting the individual slats of the said top tog-ether;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a slightly modified method of connecting the V slats together;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the hinge construction above mentioned; and, Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic'view'illustrating the way in which the table may be rolled up when collapsed, in order to occupy the minimum amount of space.

In the said drawings the numeral 11 indicates' generally the top of the tablewhich, as will be clear from Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is composed of a main section 12, formed of a plu rality of slats or bars 13, and the end members 14 which are preferably, although not necessarily of somewhat thicker material than are the slats 13. The said slats 13 may be hingedly connected together in any suitable manner, as for example by means'o-f the canvas or other fabric strips 15, extending across the under faces of the slats 13, between'the two end pieces 14, as will be readily understood from Figs. 2 and 3.

The said canvas strips, as clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 6 may be secured to each individual slat by means of the split tacks or brads 16, or as illustrated in the modified construction shown in Fig. 7, by means of the rivets 17 extending entirely through the slats 1.3 with their lower ends bent over the strip as indicated in the said figure. 1 i

Each end of each of the end members 14; has pivotally secured to it by the hinge member 18, to be presently described, a supporting leg 19, and the said hinge member 18 also pivotally secures to the said legs and top, members 14 the side supporting members 20 and 21, which extend transversely beneath the ends of the .slats 13 and serve to form a rigid support therefor. The said. members 20 and 21, aswi'l]. be clear fromthe dra-wings, are respectively pivotally .secured at opposite ends of the table and are preferably of substantially the form shown, whereby they may be moved into vertical alignment when in the extended position of the parts and in conjunction with the braces to be presently described, to adequately support the slat members 18 of the top 11.

Each of the supporting members 20 has pivotally secured to it, as by the screws or other fasteningsZQ, a pair of brace members 23, which preferably take the. form of qtla-t metallic straps. The said members 23 are provided at the ends opposite to the pivots 22 with hook portions 24: adapted toengage pins or screws 25 carried by the le s 1-9of the stable, and the said brace members are also provided intermediate their ends with notches or recesses 26, adapted to receive the pins or screws 27 carried by the com panionsupporting members, 21, as will be clear from Fig. 2. These brace members 23, when in their extended positions serve to not only brace the legs 19 of the table in a transverse direction, but they also serve to lock the hinged supportingmembers 20 and 21 in their operative positions .and prevent the undesired collapse of the table.

' In order to brace the leg members. 19 in the direction of rigl-itangles to the braces 23, there is provided the twospart brace members 30, each comprising a pair of metal strips 31 and .32, which overlap one another and are pivotally secured together at 353. The end of the strip 31 is pivotallysecu ed to the member lei as by the bracket Sat. while the free end of the strip '32 is piretally secured to the leg 19 as by the bolt orpivot 35. The member 31, as best shown in F 5. is provided with a projection or boss '36. which is adapted to engage in a. recess or a ierturc 37 with whichtlie con'lpanion: member 32 is provided, thereby affording a means ,t'or

locking the. two members in their extended positions while at the same time, due-to the resilience of the parts, permit-ting of thesaid locking projection being readily disengaged from its recess or aperture 37 when it is desired to fold the table. The members 31 may be bent outwardly as indicatedat-SS to facilitate the straigl-itening or breaking of the brace members :30, as will be readily understood.

As was above mentioned, a peculiar form of hinge is preferably employed in connecting the legs 19 and-supporting members 20 and-21 to'the table top. Thishinge construction, as is best shown in Fig.8, preferably comprises a body'member 40 which: isgbent provide two angulnrly disposed.

' portionsflll and 42, to whichare respecjtively secured asby the hinge pins 4:2,- and 4:4, the leaves l5 and As will .be clear from the said figure the leaf 1-5 is secured to the; leg 19 .by-screws or other itastenings 417, while the portion 41 of the body member i0 is secured to the top members 14: by the screws 48, and the leaf 46 is secured to the supporting members 20 or 21 by the screws or fastenings 49. It thus results that the three table members, viz, the top, the leg and the supporting members, are hingedly secured together in the required planes at right angles to each other. by a single hinge construction which effectively secures the parts-together whileat the same time permitting of the ready folding oftl e parts when it is desired to collapse thetable.

Assuming the tableto, be extended, as illustrated in Fig. 1, should it be des'red to collapse the same, the-brace members 28 are first disengaged from the pins or screws 25 a of the legs and are swung inwardly to occupy. positions adjacent the inner face of thesupporting member 20 to which they are secured. This movement of the bracing members 23 will, of course. disengage the pins or screws 27, carried bythe supporting .then be broken,permitting tlielegs 15) lobe foldedup beneath themembcrsll whereupon the entire tablemay be rolled up substantially as illustratediu Fig. 9 and secured by suitable bindingcords or strips in in; collapsed position. The rolling o't'the table is pern'iitted bytlie construction of the table top, as will be readily understood.

It will thus be seen that this invention provides a tablenhich when in its extended. position is bracedin all directions, and is ex tremely rigid, whileat the same time it may be -readilycollapsed and folded tooceupy a minimum amount of space. This is extremely. desirable in tables which areto be carried and used inmetor vehicles,- especial ly when of thesplcasure type where space ismore or less ata premium.

\Vhile one form of the inventiqllhas been illustrated and described herein it is obvious thatthose skilled in the art mayyary the details of constructio n as well as the ar-v rangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not wished to be limitedto the above disclosure except as maybe required by the accompanying. claims.

hat is claimed is: v

1. In afoldable table atop adapted to be rolled up; legs liin-gedly secured to saidtop; and side rail members hingedly" secured to each of said legs for movement in a horizontal. plane, adapted in the open position of the table to occupy positions in superposed vertical pairs and to support said top in its extended position.

2. In a collapsible table a top comprising a plurality of parallel disposed slats hingedly secured together; legs hingedly secured to said top adapted to fold in positions parallel and adjacent to said slats; and a supporting member hingedly carried by each of said legs for movement in a horizontal plane whereby they may be folded to occupy positions parallel to said slats and opened to extend transversely of said slats and to support the same, each of said supporting members being of a length approximately equal to the length of the table top whereby they may be positioned in super posed vertical pairs when the table is in open position.

3. In a collapsible table, a top adapted to be rolled up, legs pivotally secured to said top; a side rail member pivotally secured to each of said legs for movement in a horizontal plane, pairs of said members being arranged to assume vertically aligned positions to support the top when the table is extended; braces for maintaining said legs in open position; and means for locking said pairs of members in their vertically aligned supporting positions.

4C. In a collapsible table, a top adapted to be rolled up; legs pivotally secured to said top; members pivotally secured to each of said legs, pairs of which are adapted to assume vertically aligned co-acting positions to support said top when it is extended;

braces pivotally secured to said top and legs for maintaining said legs in an open position; and means pivotally carried by certain of said supporting members and adapted to readily detachably engage said legs, for looking said supporting members in their vertically aligned supporting position.

5. A collapsible table comprising a top composed of a plurality of parallel disposed slats having secured to one of their faces strips of-fleXible material; legs pivotally secured to said top, adapted to be swung from an open position at right angles thereto, to a folded position parallel and adjacent said slats; and a supporting member pivotally secured to each leg, adapted when folded to occupy a position parallel to said slats, and when open to extend in vertically aligned pairs transversely beneath slats to support the same.

6. A collapsible table comprising a top composed of aplurality of parallel disposed slats having secured to one of their faces strips of flexible material; legs pivotally secured to said top, adapted to be swung from an open position at right angles thereto, to a folded position parallel and adjacent said slats; a supporting member pivotally secured to each leg, adapted when folded to occupy a position parallel to said slats, and when open to extend in vertically aligned pairs transversely beneath slats to support the same; means for locking and bracing said legs in their open position; and addi tional means for locking and bracing said supporting members in their verticall aligned open position.

7 In a table of the class described, a flexible top; a plurality of legs each provided with a pin, pivotally carried by said top; a

supporting member pivotally secured to each of said legs for swinging movements in a substantially horizontal plane beneath said top; locking projections carried by some of said supporting members; and bracing and locking members pivotally carried by others of said supporting members, adapted to en gage the pins carried by said legs and pro vided with recesses for engagement with said projections.

In testimony whereof, I aitix my signature.

EPHRAIM P. GRIGNON. 

